Efficiency of a multidisciplinary team care approach through a short hospitalization of patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus: a 12 months prospective monocentric study

Abstract

A multidisciplinary team is composed of various healthcare professionals that ensure a multifaceted approach on a group of patients. Standards for diabetes medical care note the importance of multidisciplinary diabetes care teams. We applied our model of multidisciplinary approach by structuring it in a determined five days hospitalization. The aim of this study was to determine if the interdisciplinary approach applied on a short hospitalization is of benefit in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Sixty-seven patients were included and ensured a short hospitalization in which they received a multiple educational advice and a treatment adaptation. Sixty-one patients out of 67 (91%) were retained for evaluation with sufficient data at one year, i.e. 9% of patients with poor compliance. Evolution in glycosylated haemoglobin ( HbA1c), weight and treatments was analyzed. After a 12 months follow-up, we observed significant improvement in HbA1c (-1.73%; p < 10³) without weight loss (BMI=-0.42 kg/m²), p=0.28). HbA1c mean levels correlated negatively to body mass index (BMI) during the regular follow-up (r=-0.22, p=0.05). More than 90% of patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus responded to the multi-disciplinary approach with a decrease in HbA1c.